Compare towns
Cornish vs Waitsfield vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cornish has the most affordable homes ($296k median).
Waitsfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.3%).
Plainfield has the highest household income ($123k).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Cornish | Waitsfield | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,816Lowest |
1,918 |
2,522Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
44.3±5.3 14% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Cornish and Waitsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.8%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Waitsfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Waitsfield and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Waitsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,821±$2k 14% above U.S. |
$84,375±$34kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$122,656±$13kHighest 52% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,000±$69kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$422,400±$92k 27% above U.S. |
$442,400±$47kHighest 33% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Waitsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$227 14% below U.S. |
$1,200±$821Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,674±$181Highest 18% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,796Lowest 86% above U.S. |
$6,208 99% above U.S. |
$7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.4%±30.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Waitsfield and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 8% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 5% below U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Waitsfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #19 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Cornish School District | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.